Скотный двор

           Amightycryforvengeancewentup,andwithoutwaitingforfurtherorderstheychargedforthinabodyandmadestraightfortheenemy. Thistimetheydidnotheedthecruelpelletsthatsweptoverthemlikehail. Itwasasavage,bitterbattle. Themenfiredagainandagain,and,whentheanimalsgottoclosequarters,lashedoutwiththeirsticksandtheirheavyboots. Acow,threesheep,andtwogeesewerekilled,andnearlyeveryonewaswounded. EvenNapoleon,whowasdirectingoperationsfromtherear,hadthetipofhistailchippedbyapellet. Butthemendidnotgounscathedeither. ThreeofthemhadtheirheadsbrokenbyblowsfromBoxer’shoofs;anotherwasgoredinthebellybyacow’shorn;anotherhadhistrousersnearlytornoffbyJessieandBluebell. AndwhentheninedogsofNapoleon’sownbodyguard,whomhehadinstructedtomakeadetourundercoverofthehedge,suddenlyappearedonthemen’sflank,bayingferociously,panicovertookthem. Theysawthattheywereindangerofbeingsurrounded. Frederickshoutedtohismentogetoutwhilethegoingwasgood,andthenextmomentthecowardlyenemywasrunningfordearlife. Theanimalschasedthemrightdowntothebottomofthefield,andgotinsomelastkicksatthemastheyforcedtheirwaythroughthethornhedge. 

           Theyhadwon,buttheywerewearyandbleeding. Slowlytheybegantolimpbacktowardsthefarm. Thesightoftheirdeadcomradesstretcheduponthegrassmovedsomeofthemtotears. Andforalittlewhiletheyhaltedinsorrowfulsilenceattheplacewherethewindmillhadoncestood. Yes,itwasgone;almostthelasttraceoftheirlabourwasgone! Eventhefoundationswerepartiallydestroyed. Andinrebuildingittheycouldnotthistime,asbefore,makeuseofthefallenstones. Thistimethestoneshadvanishedtoo. Theforceoftheexplosionhadflungthemtodistancesofhundredsofyards. Itwasasthoughthewindmillhadneverbeen.